Kerri Gates, 33, is the recreational supervisor for Jefferson City's Washington Park Ice Arena.
She has been in this position for more than a year, but with the city Parks and Recreation Department for closer to six. She is originally from Cole Camp, and is also a wife, mother of a 3-year-old son with another child on the way. She enjoys volleyball and Crossfit.
"I am in charge of the facility in general," Gates said. "So I am in charge of all the ice time, so scheduling and making sure everything is in line. ... I have maintenance that helps me a lot, but there is a lot to do with the ice itself as far as compressors, keeping it cold, and keeping it frozen and that kind of thing."
Gates schedules the "ice time" for the various groups that frequent the arena, such as hockey teams, figure skaters, speed skaters, skating instructors, synchronized skaters and broom ballers. Broom ball is a sport on the ice without the skates where players try to hit a foam ball into the net using brooms with taped bristles.
There has been talk of starting a curling team, and there is always more talk about this around the Olympics. The arena cannot afford the stones to start a league, but they would consider starting one if a sponsor wanted to get some of the needed equipment, Gates said.
Around twice a day, Gates or one or her other fulltime staff members resurfaces the ice on a machine called an Olympia, which resembles a Zamboni. She is also overseeing the recent renovations of the arena, which has given it a new roof, flooring, lights and a new ceiling.
"I think a lot of people in Jefferson City don't even know we have an ice arena," Gates said. "We are one of the only ice arenas in Central Missouri. ... We get people who come here from all over - Columbia, the lake, Camdenton, Mexico, Sedalia."
She said her favorite part of working at the arena was watching the young skaters grow in skill and age. Her least favorite part is getting a call at three in the morning about the ice melting.
"People get scared to try ice skating," she said. "You don't have to be scared. It is for everybody of all ages. Come out and try it. The staff is always very helpful."